Sick of Sick.

Seems like all of us here in the midwest are saying, "Isn't this the WORST winter we've had? Doesn't it seem like we've all been sick more than normal [and then list all of our various illnesses]?" That's because we have Seasonal Memory Loss (term invented by yours truly). It turns nice and we forget how much winter takes a toll on us. All the time indoors, the recycled germy air that keeps reinfecting our kids, the cold, the bundling. When it gets to be spring...then summer...followed by the very lovely fall, we have no recollection of this time. And when it sets back in we're patient for about three months: November and December (because it's the very festive holiday season), and January (because we all expect germs in January!). But come February...we're complaining. To everyone. Because we feel bad for the sick kids and we're tired of Clorox and we just want to go play outside!

But here's the thing: it's almost over. Tomorrow brings my favorite month...March (scratch that...my favorite month is May, but I do love March.). We could have a thunderstorm in March. We could have a 50...60 degree day. We could crack our windows open in March. Hang in there, my fellow mid-west winter sufferers...it's coming to an end!

{PS Photo: if you're down and out and the fever is making you miserable, it's okay. Get a nice, cozy blankie (like this Christmas gift from Grandma K.), lots of fluids, and a book about the color green. All will be well.}

Confession

I've stopped by Jen's blog about five times today...just to look at these caramel rolls. They look like my mom's house smells on a Saturday morning. My mouth is watering. I'm hereby seeking permission from my husband to break from our healthy pact for one day...just to indulge in this goodness.

How come you're happy?

I've been thinking about this a lot the past month or so: is happiness a character trait or is it something learned? Is it chance or is it choice?

I think I'm a pretty happy person. I try not to focus on the negative. I laugh frequently. I smile and am fairly relaxed. Am I that way just because I'm wired to be that way or do I have a choice? I rather contend that it's both. The best I can see it (and I'm no psychologist!) three things created my happiness:

1. I think I'm wired to be positive. It's not a great effort for me to see the good in things for the most part. (I am also wired to be these things, I think: sensitive (ugh), contemplative, rational, un-creative (double ugh).)

2. I had a great, happy upbringing. Both of my parents are generally happy people, so it's the behavior I learned.

3. I choose to be. Especially in the past couple years, I have really focused on the Law of Attraction. It has caused me to have to phyically shift some negative energy to positive have definitely discovered the benefits of that!

What do you think? We've puttered about this in blogosphere here and there, but haven't dedicated a discussion to it. I'm sincerely interested in all your thoughts!

My kids are wondering:

Anyone know if it's Spring yet??

This Guy...

...is a real hero. Not just because of what he did, but because of his kindness and humility. I loved this article; read it if you get a chance. (Image from the NEWSWEEK article.)

Holding Tight

Cory gets kind of upset when I get them up out of bed...especially when it's the third time for the night. But this is why. Because sometimes they're trying and full of energy. Because sometimes I'm too busy to sit with them. Because eventually this little guy is going to be too big for my lap and I'm going to miss holding him desperately.

I try not to wish the time away. There are things I look forward to as they get older, but for now...for this moment...I really love getting them out of bed so they fall asleep in my arms. Sorry, Cory. :)

Stewed Tomatoes...

What can I do with stewed tomatoes? I accidently bought them and now I want use them. Any good recipes suggestions?

Henry

Pregnancy is for the birds, primarily. Seriously, for me it was nothing but trouble. Morning sickness until Week 20 (Zofran pump), heartburn, pelvic pain, back pain, incredible fatigue, the the delivery...do not get me started. But it's amazing how you hold a little thing like our newest sweet baby Henry and you think it would be worth it...maybe...somehow. Because he's so painfully perfect that he makes my heart hurt a little. I love this boy. {But I'll probably settle for nephews and neices.}

Chicken Tetrazinni

My friend Kelly gave me this recipe. I've made it twice now and it's super. Worth sharing!

Chicken Tetrazinni

2 1/2 c uncooked broken spaghetti
1/2 stick butter
3 T onion, chopped
4 oz can mushrooms with liquid
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 c cooked chicken (I use rotisserie)
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp celery salt
1 13 oz can evaporated milk (whole milk works fine, too)
1/2 c cheddar cheese (I used more)
parmesan cheese

Cook spaghetti until tender, drain and rinse.

In skillet, melt butter saute onion and mushrooms. Add soup, milk, seasonings, chicken and cheese.

Put spaghetti in 9X13 buttered casserole. Pour sauce over top and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Bake 30 minutes at 325 degrees.

ENJOY!

It's a gender thing.

We went to the Mall of America today. For those of you not familiar, it's right near the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport. We were turning onto 24th Avenue when a large jet was speeding by on its way to land at the airport. Both of my boys screamed in excitement at the exact same moment she screamed, "LOOK! IKEA!"

Clarification

They didn't exactly get SKUNKED, they caught this:

But they had fun with other stuff too (note: this is in the rented fishhouse (or is it icehouse?)):

Someday, Matty and Jack are going with on the Annual Ice Fishing Overnight. Then...Momma's going to get a night off. It's a pleasant thought.

Shout Out...

I've been meaning to give a shout out to Gina and Hannah. Wonder if either of you stop by regularly. Wish I could see you more often.

HOLLA!

7. I love my boys.

I didn't do an entry about them before Valentine's Day, because it goes without saying, but I love these guys. My boys make my world better, happier, and more interesting. How many of you can say you had a 15 minute conversation over the weekend with anyone who wanted to talk about why it's important to wear underwear and pants? Or watch one who is deliriously happy because his dad took him ice fishing and even though they got skunked, he thinks it might be the best trip ever? They're a lot of work, but the good vastly outweighs the bad. They are my everyday Valentines.

6. I Love Me.

I am good enough. I'm nowhere near perfect, but God made me who I am, and I am enough.

This is the picture that inspired this whole theme in the first place (and Libby's "enough" post awhile ago). It's the only picture I have of me alone in my house (taken by Nancy Reins on our wedding day) and I love it. It's an external picture of who I am inside. My ideal. Who I strive to be every day.

Not everyone will agree with me. Not everyone will like me. But at the end of the day, it's okay. I'm enough.

This post is not to express conceit, but to encourage you to look for the best you and love yourself this Valentine's Day...God already does.

Happy Valentine's Day to you and your families from ours!

XOXO

5. I Love My Husband

If Cory taught a "Relationships for Men" class, here's what he'd teach his students:

1. Spend time with her.

2. Let her have some time alone.

3. Hug her often.

4. Let her cry.

5. Appreciate her.

6. Bring her flowers. Small gestures go a long way.

7. Adore her.

8. Take care of her and she'll take care of you.

Happy Birthday, Sweetheart. Thanks for all of the above.

20 21 Random Things I Love

1. My electric blanket
2. Laura
3. Anderson Cooper (also...BFLs - really couldn't cross out AC)
4. The Office
5. Kind people
6. Books
7. Gymboree
8. Firefighters
9. Bacon
10. My Pastors
11. A clean house
12. Laughter
13. Childhood memories
14. Facebook
15. My jobs
16. Sharpie markers
17. Panera
18. Sleep
19. My boys' hands
20. My wedding ring
21. Mindi and her humor

4. I Love Big Bang Theory

Our whole universe was in a hot dense state

Then nearly fourteen billion years ago expansion started. Wait...

The Earth began to cool,

The autotrophs began to drool,

Neanderthals developed tools,

We built a wall (we built the pyramids),

Math, science, history, unraveling the mysteries,

That all started with the big bang!

(I didn't say they'd all be serious, I just said they'd be things I love.)

3. I Love My Blog Background.

I love this background. It's green. It's classic and clean. It's easy to read. It might stay forever.

2. I Also Love My Mother-in-Law

I knew my mother-in-law before I knew my husband. I had worked with her at Polaris for five years or so, although we were not in the same department, we certainly knew each other.

I was also waitressing part-time on Mother's Day in 2002, when she came into Doolittles with her family for dinner. I was working a double-shift, and had a trainee. It was the busiest day of my waitressing career, and the greatest single income day I ever had in food service. It was also the most memorable.

They came in around 5:00, I think. I was pretty fresh out of a long-term relationship, and I was noticing everything and everyone. Cory is very handsome, so I certainly noticed him. I probably paid a little extra attention to the table because I knew Sherry. He left as soon as the meal was over and I didn't think anything of it. A few days later, Sherry got the scoop on me - both through a co-worker and by calling me herself. I told her to give Cory my number, so in essence, she set us up! I married her son a year from the time I met him.

Sherry is the kind of mother and grandmother who would do anything for her kids and grandkids. She plans fun parties for most holidays, and the kids are going to have the best childhood memories because of her. She loves us so completely and without question. If she hasn't seen us for a few days, she calls and asks us to stop by. The boys love her as much as she loves them.

I know she knows it, but it doesn't hurt to say it again: I love you! I am very lucky to have married into such a great family.

1. I Love My Mom.

I had to seek permission to post this story because my mom is sort of...well, not pro-blog. She likes that I'm doing it (far be it from her to disagree with anything her kids do :)) but she doesn't really want to be part of it. But this story begged telling, and she okay. It was Gina who told me the story originally, and I'll try to tell it as simply as I can, there are people whose names I do not have permission to use.

We had a family friend pass away last week, Carol. She was my dad's cousin as well, and a neighbor where I grew up. Carol had many children and and grandchildren. One of Carol's sisters lives a few hours from where my family lives. That sister has a daughter who my mom doesn't know. When Carol was sick, that daughter came over to my mom's house to drop something off. When she told my mom that it wasn't going very well, my mom hugged this cousin's-daughter-who-she-hadn't-met for a long time. [Note: my mom will hug anyone she thinks needs it. She's there for everyone, always.]

At the reviewal, my mom saw the cousin's daughter and they smiled at each other in recognition. My mom said to her cousin who was standing next to her, "I really like your daughter. I don't know how my heart knows her, but it does."

My mom's heart knows everyone. (She did not give me permission to gush, but in the spirit of my Month of Love blog, she'll just have to suffer. ) She is one of those people who loves everyone, and everyone loves her.

I hope I'm just like her when I grow up.

Things I Love

In my opinion, they're all months of love. But because in February we have Valentine's Day and an honest excuse to celebrate love, and because all around us there is reason to worry and stress and be less than positive, I decided that this blog is going completely positive from now until Valentine's Day. Well, possibly for the whole month. Possibly for the whole YEAR. It's going to be nauseating. Unless you can stomach a lot of love. I'm going to share with you a few things that make me happy. A few things that equal love. I encourage you to share your stories with me...either here or on your own blogs. It's gonna be a fun month!

(PS Photo by Nancy R; Jack (2 mos))

Bits and Pieces

I can't remember if I posted this poem in its entirety, but a couple people have asked me about it recently, so I thought I'd share it again:

*******************************************

Bits and Pieces.
Bits and Pieces.

People. People important to you. People unimportant to you cross your life, touch it with love and move on. There are people who leave you, and you breathe a sigh of relief, and wonder why you ever came in contact with them. There are people who leave you and you breathe a sigh of remorse and wonder why they had to go and leave such a gaping hole.

Children leave parents. Friends leave friends. Acquaintances move on. People change homes. People grow apart. Enemies hate and move on. Friends love and move on. You think of the many who have moved into your hazy memory. You look at those present and wonder.

I believe in God’s master plan in lives. He moves people in and out of each others’ lives, and each leaves his mark on the other. You find you are made up of bits and pieces of all who ever touched your life, and you are more because of it, and you would be less if they had not touched you.

Pray God that you accept the bits and pieces in humility and wonder, and never question, and never regret.

Bits and Pieces.
Bits and Pieces.

- Author Unknown

Miss you.

I realize it's been a few days since I posted. So much has happened these past couple days and I have so much to say, but I can't get it out of my head...it seems kind of jumbled still. I went to two funerals for friends' moms. I feel like we're too young to lose our parents, and to those who are feeling that loss: I will continue to pray for your peace and healing. In spite of all that grief, funerals are a chance for reunion. For me, it was wonderful to be near so many friends physically. I have a long list of people who I was so grateful to see, and I'll get into more of that when my head clears. Mostly I just need a really good nights' sleep.

I am planning a few blog entries for the coming week or so...please check back later.

Love to all...

Sister Rivalry

I disagree with Laura on the uniforms. The Cardinals have better uniforms. Plus it's Arizona. Easy pick for me.

My very important Superbowl notes:

- I like the name Roethlisberger. Tanya noted that it takes up his whole jersey.
- The Steeler's head coach is handsome. I googled it; his name is Mike Tomlin.
- I like end-of-game suprises.
- Superbowl commercials rock.
- Those yellow pants are really hard on the eyes. Even with tight thighs.
- I do not like the Steeler's #92. He shouldn't have punched that guy. Meanie.
- I also like the name Santonio Holmes. Cool dude.

(NOTE: Not related to the Superbowl. I do NOT like the name Blagojevich. Aside from the obvious, it's a dumb name - hard to say.)

Good try, Cardinals!